Alternate Ending Trial
by YAXON
Summary: Now... This may be my only fic for Phoenix Wright... All depends on the reviews really... You can go ahead and flame me, I know this probably is a poorly written one-shot... :o


**First of all, this is a one-shot; I want to test out what kind of reviews I'll receive if I get reviewed by anyone on this section on . To put it bluntly, just review truthfully, that's all I ask. You hate it, you hate it. Then I'll cease writing here…**

_Future Turnabouts_

**Outside Detention Center**

**Date: ??Time: ??**

"Hmmm… Free at last…"

Diego Armando says as he walks away from the Detention Center, unbeknownst to him, he's being watched…

He began to walk down the sidewalk, when he was yanked into an alley and whipped viciously with no warning. The killer, who isn't identifiable due to the fog that had recently rolled in, walked off…

**December 13,** **12:08 PM**

**Phoenix Wright & Co. Law Offices**

Phoenix Wright, he's been unable to find a case for a week and a half. He turns the television on out of boredom.

"_Breaking news coverage! The body of the now ex-convict Diego Armando has been found lying in an alleyway, nearly dead. Police Officers confirmed that he was indeed released from prison, and that he was heading in that direction. The Police have yet to confirm where he was going after he had been released, but this little information has been released to the press, Mr. Armando is in intensive care at Hickfield Clinic. And as the cause for his injury, he was brutally whipped almost to death! And that is about all the men in blue have leaked out at this moment- WAIT! I just received breaking news that a prime suspect has been apprehended, and is QUITE famous, Ms. Franziska Von Karma! So far, no one has agreed to take her case, and most defense lawyers make smug remarks such as 'She finally got what she deserved!' or 'I'm afraid she'll whip me!'. Either way, Ms. Von Karma's situation looks grim, a promising new Prosecutor was the first to take on her case, he insisted that he take the case since he has not led a single case yet as a Prosecutor. That's it for this news bulletin, now we go back to-"_

Phoenix turned off the TV, he couldn't believe his ears! Franziska Von Karma was arrested for assault! He had to see this for himself so he dashed out of his law office to the detention center…

**Detention Center**

**1:01 PM December 13**

Phoenix waited as the guard went to go fetch Franziska. It was times like these he wished Maya was there, she would've loved to see Franziska on the other side of the glass for once! But he needed to see if she would let him defend her…

Franziska came out at last with a smile on her face, until she saw Phoenix Wright…

"PHOENIX WRIGHT?! I asked for a defense attorney, not a foolishly, foolhardy, foolish fool!" Franziska stops for a moment to consider something. "But, fine, if you are all I have, then go ahead, ask away! Or were you here to laugh at me?"

Franziska glared at Phoenix to see if she could trust him. Phoenix cowered a little, but he had been trying to show no fear.

"I'm here to try to defend you, everyone deserves a second chance! Now, what happened?"

Franziska smiled again at Phoenix, she enjoyed seeing him squirm.

"It was approximately 7:02 in the morning, they had let Mr. Armando out early due to good behavior, so I've heard, and supposedly, I had dragged him into an alley to whip him viciously! But where's the proof? So I was around that vicinity that morning, so what? I was at the Precinct I tell you!"

Phoenix held his hands up as she started to get all worked up about it.

"Ok, ok, I get it, and the assault weapon?"

"They had found my whip, naturally."

She grinned at Phoenix seeing him look grimmer.

"Do you have any idea who the Prosecutor is for tomorrow?"

"Only little things here and there, I don't usually pay attention to those who join the Prosecution, but one rumor intrigued me, let's just say that was the reason I was at the Precinct that morning for."

"Have you heard any possible mention of his name?"

Phoenix said looking interested.

"His name… I think it's… Seth Powers? Yes, I'm pretty sure that's his name. He was dubbed as a genius, at least, that's what his profile says, I'm guessing tomorrow is his court debut."

"What rumor intrigued you about this 'Seth'?"

"Only this, he likes to play air guitar like a little child! No, I found that on his profile… No, what intrigued me was he had been in a courtroom before, only once, but just enough to make him stop being a defense attorney."

"He was a defense attorney? Hmm… I might have to ask Mr. Grossberg about that later… Anyway, thanks for the… erm… help, Franziska."

"The trial is tomorrow, but remember, get me guilty, and not only will you be publicly humiliated by this new Prosecutor, but you will receive a whipping from me…"

Phoenix trembled at the mere thought at Von Karma whipping him again.

"Right, I'll get you a non-guilty verdict, honest!"

Phoenix smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. Franziska made a frown and was about to leave.

"Phoenix Wright… I am only accepting you as a defense attorney since I have no other option… for no other reason… understood?"

Franziska said as she glared at Phoenix one more time.

"Crystal!"

Phoenix said smiling and rubbing his neck again nervously.

"Very well… I shall see you tomorrow…"

Franziska said icily and walked out. Phoenix walked out of the detention center and headed for the Hickfield Clinic…

**Hickfield Clinic: Diego Armando's room**

**1:11 PM December 13**

"Diego?"

Diego was in his bed, it was hard to tell if he was sleeping or not due to his mask still being on.

"Wright?"

"Diego! Could I ask you a few questions?"

"… Whatever…"  
"Did you see the person who had assaulted you?"

"No…"

"Did you know what time you were assaulted?"

"… No…"

"Franziska Von Karma says 7:02 AM…"

"… That was the time I was released, Wright…"

"Oh, how many minutes passed since you had been released?"

"Well, I'd give about two…"

Phoenix looked surprised.

"Wow, two minutes? How did the attacker know you were let out then?"

"My attacker… was already in place, he/she yanked me into an alley, I never got a good look at my attacker since it was foggy that morning. The next thing I knew, I was being whipped! I don't know who it was, but…"

"Yes?"

Diego seemed to remember something.

"…! Nothing that… erm… concerns you, Wright…"

"But I need all the help I can get!"

"… So, who's the Prosecutor for tomorrow?"

"Why are you concerned about that? It's a new Prosecutor named Seth Powers."

"…! Oh, really? Well, good luck then… Now, could you leave? I'm getting tired…"

"Oh, one more thing! Did you know that he was a defense attorney?"

"N-no, Wright, listen, if you want to figure it out, ask Mr. Grossberg…"

Phoenix left the room.

_He's hiding something about Seth! I think he knows who he is! But I can't pressure him when he's in a hospital bed… Better go see Mr. Grossberg before the day is done…_

**Grossberg Law Offices**

**2:00 PM December, 13**

Phoenix didn't see anyone.

"Mr. Grossberg!"

A toilet flushed and out walked Mr. Grossberg.

"Yes? Oh, if it isn't that defense attorney…"

"Yeah, hi, Mr. Grossberg… Listen, could you tell me who Seth Powers is if you know him?"

"Certainly, boy! I know Seth Powers; he was my finest defense attorney! Wait, that can't be right… he only had one trial, so…"

"Did he…?"

"Fail to defend, lose? Yes, yes he did! Sadly, it was because of that one loss that he refused to do any more trials as a defense attorney, but he did mentor one student, I think you even know of him now, his name is, Diego Armando!"

"What?!"

"Yes, it's true, Seth passed on almost everything he knew on to Diego, too bad he's disappeared…"

"Um…"

"Yes, my boy?"

"He's alive… and he's going to be prosecuting Franziska Von Karma's case tomorrow…"

"Oh! That reminds me… I believe he knew of that fine lady personally…"

"He did?"

"It wasn't because of a case, something a little more personal…"

"O-oh… Well thanks Mr. Grossberg! If I could ask one more thing, when did Mr. Powers disappear?"

"Oh, after Mr. Armando's first case 10 years ago…"

"Odd… That's the same year my father disappeared…"

"It is? I'm sorry to hear your father has disappeared for so long…"

"He's thought to be dead… But I don't think so… My father was a defense attorney too, but he too only defended one case…"

"What was his name?"

"Grey Wright…"

"Hmm… I'll look into his records later, my boy, now off you go, I've got business to take care of…"

"Thanks for all your help, Mr. Grossberg."

Phoenix walked out of the offices and back to his offices. He feared for tomorrow…

_An unlikely suspect, a new Prosecutor by the name of someone who's been missing for years… ooh boy, what have I gotten myself into…?_

_TBC_

**Defendant's Lobby No. 3**

**December 14 10: 30 AM**

_Man, I am sweating bullets! I'm being pressured too much! But I can get through this trial, I must! For the sake of… (GULP)_

**Courtroom No. 1 **

**December 14 10:35 AM**

Everyone was in their respective places, the Prosecutor had taller, spikier hair than Phoenix, and he wore a black suit and tie. And on top of all that, he too, like Diego Armando wore a mask, but unlike Diego Armando, his was black and had eye holes. He didn't look like the kind that would fool around in a trial, yet Franziska said…

The Judge used his gavel.

"The trial for Franziska Von Karma may now begin. Am I to understand that the Prosecutor for today is new…?"

The Prosecutor looked up at the judge like he had seen him before.

"… Of course."

"Very well, does the Prosecution have an opening statement?"

"Yes, many mysteries surround us, and it is up to us, the people of the court, to solve these mysteries. That is all."

The judge nodded.

"Well said. Now, would the Prosecution like to describe the events of what happened?"

"Certainly… The victim, Diego Armando, was released from prison at 7:02 in the morning on December 13, approximately two minutes later, he was pulled into an alley to be brutally whipped. There was a fog that morning, so we don't have any witnesses; however, we have the detective who led the investigation. Will Detective Dick Gumshoe please take the stand?"

Detective Gumshoe took the stand eyes darting around the room. Seth had his arms crossed.

"Name and occupation."

"Gumshoe, Dick Gumshoe! I'm a Detective down at the precinct and-"

Seth glared at the detective.

"I believe that was all I asked for…"

Gumshoe keeled back a little.

"Sorry sir…"

Seth closed his eyes.

"Testify…"

"Uh… to what, sir?"

Seth seemed annoyed by that.

"To what your investigation found…"

Gumshoe's eyes widened.

"Ohhh! Right away sir!"

**-The Investigation-**

**"Our investigation didn't yield much…"**

**"We only found three things…"**

**"One was the victim's blood on the ground."**

**"And two was a mask…"**

**"And, that's about it."**

The Detective chuckled. The judge nodded.

"Very well, Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross-examination."

"Yes, your honor."

_Cross-Examination_

_-The Investigation-_

_"Our investigation didn't yield much…"_

_"We only found three things…"_

_"One was the victim's blood on the ground."_

_"And two was a mask…"_

"HOLD IT! Detective, was it the victim's mask?"

"Nope, sorry, pal. It was a mask much like the Prosecutor's mask."

The Detective chuckled.

"Detective… But as you can clearly see, mine is still on."

Phoenix nodded.

"So you always wear a mask?"

"Yes…"

Seth said icily.

"Ok, let's get back to the cross-examination…"

Phoenix said sweating bullets.

_"And that's about it!"_

"OBJECTION! So you say you found two things, is that right?"

"Yup." The Detective smiled and chuckled.

"But you had said in your cross-examination that you had found THREE things! Now what was the third thing then?"

"I said that?… nngh…"

Seth shook his head.

"The Prosecution isn't trying to hide anything… If you're so interested in ending this trial so early Wright then here you go… The Defendant's whip! With HER finger prints on them!"

Phoenix spaced out for a moment.

"W-WHAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!"

The courtroom began to buzz with the new information submitted. The judge nodded.

"It certainly looks like Franziska Von Karma did it. However, I have been wrong before, so, the court accepts the whip and the mask into evidence!"

Both items added into court record. Seth shook his head.

"Heh… I think now is the time in which we found how Mr. Armando was wounded. Wouldn't you, Phoenix Wright?"

Phoenix was sweating bullets.

"S-sure…"

"Detective! Testify to the court on how he came to be brutally wounded!"

Seth exclaimed.

"Right, sir!"

**-Wounds-**

**"It's quite easy if you look at it."**

**"In addition to the fact that there was a whip found."**

**"He was whipped very badly!"**

**"The killer, obviously Ms. Von Karma, left him to die!"**

**"However… there was a sign that he tried to fight back."**

The judge looked at the detective.

"Very well, begin your cross-examination Mr. Wright."

_"It's quite easy if you look at it."_

_"In addition to the fact that there was a whip found."_

_"He was whipped very badly!"_

_"The killer, obviously Ms. Von Karma, left him to die!"_

"HOLD IT! How is it obvious?"

"Well, for one there were her fingerprints on it pal, and secondly, she even acknowledged it!"

"Nngh…"

Seth shook his head at Phoenix.

"Is that enough for you, Phoenix Wright?"

"Y-yeah…"

The judge looked at Phoenix shockingly.

"REALLY?! No objection?!"

"Y-yeah…"

_"However… there was a sign he tried to fight back…"_

"HOLD IT! He tried to fight back?"

"Uh… Yeah, pal…"

"Exactly what signs?"

"Well… There was a sign that the whip had been stretched…"

"OBJECTION!"

The judge looked at Seth.

"W-what is it, Prosecutor?"

"Oh, it's nothing, but, I don't like trivial things in a courtroom…"

The judge used his gavel.

"Hmm!"

The Court was buzzing again. Phoenix raised his voice.

"OBJECTION! But he said there were signs; don't you think that we establish exactly what signs we're talking about here?"

Seth shook his head, and folded his arms again.

"Who cares? It was obvious he fought back, I see nothing wrong with the testimony! Unless you can find something wrong with that statement…"

"A-alright…"

The judge used his gavel.

"O-order! ORDER! ORDER! ORDER! ORRRDERRRR! It's nearly quite clear to me that Ms. Von Karma is guilty… Therefore, I am about ready to pass down my verdict."

The courtroom was silent. All of a sudden-

"OBJECTION!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the objection, it was the detective.

"WAIT! There IS something contradicting the evidence…"

Seth leaned over his table.

"Oh? And what would that be, Detective Gumshoe?"

"W-well…"

"Is it trivial?"

"Well…"

"I won't accept it in this court!"

"HOLD IT!"

Everyone looked at Phoenix.

"Wait! I see it too! If there was a mask… then it couldn't have been the defendant's! Where was the mask found, Detective?"

"Right under the body, pal!"

"Well, I think that clears things up enough! It WASN'T the Defendant!"

The courtroom buzzed with excitement again. Seth grinned and shook his head at Phoenix.

"Oh, DO go on, Wright! You can't be the judge if she wore a mask that day or not…

Seth shook his head shamefully at Phoenix.

"I see NOTHING contradictory!"

The courtroom went buzzing again. The judge used his gavel again.

"ORDER! I am forced to agree with the Prosecution's logic-"

"OBJECTION! But I have someone who can testify to that!"

Seth shook his head at Phoenix.

"How? It was foggy that morning, and-"

"The Defense calls Franziska Von Karma to the stand!"

The judge shook his head.

"Very well, it appears this trial will go much quicker if we allow the Defense's request-"

"OBJECTION!" Seth seemed taken aback when he heard she would take the stand. "No, I already proved she did it and-"

The judge used his gavel.

"Objection overruled. Franziska Von Karma, take the stand!"

Franziska took the stand without a whip. Seth shook his head.

"I can't believe I have to do this… Name and occupation…"

Franziska grinned at Seth.

"Amazing, I felt I had seen you before… My name is Franziska Von Karma, the prodigy… and my current occupation? Prosecuting, naturally…"

Seth took a deep sigh and went on.

"The court would like you to testify to the court about if you were wearing a mask yesterday…"

"Very well… Anything for you, Powers…"

**-Mask?-**

**"Naturally, I was in the vicinity of this alley…"**

**"I had decided to pay the Precinct a visit…"**

**"That's when I saw him in that alley!"**

**"I quickly bestowed a mask upon my face…"**

**"So I wouldn't be identified by him…"**

**"And then I quickly lunged at his back to attack him with my whip!"**

By the end of this, Phoenix felt like he would die. Seth shook his head.

"See? An honest to God confession! I will grant the defense this final cross-examination… But that is all!"

The judge nodded.

"And please, nothing trivial, just facts!"

Seth looked at the judge expectantly.

"Your honor, if it pleases you, would you do the honors of imposing a penalty system when the defense presses too hard on this witness?"

The judge nodded.

"I shall grant the Prosecution's request. Begin your final cross-examination, Mr. Wright…"

_-Mask?-_

_"Naturally, I was in the vicinity of this alley…"_

_"I had decided to pay the Precinct a visit…"_

"HOLD IT! Why did you decide to?"

Seth shook his head.

"Oh, judge?"

"Mr. Wright!"

Phoenix took a penalty; he could only take four more.

_"That's when I saw him in that alley!"_

"OBJECTION! So, you saw him as clear as day?"

Franziska grinned seeing Phoenix squirm.

"Naturally."

"That, Ms. Von Karma, is a contradiction!"

The courtroom was buzzing again.

"W-what?!"

Phoenix looked proud.

"Yes, it wasn't clear at all that morning, the area was covered in a dense fog! You wouldn't be able to see someone clearly in that type of weather!"

The judge used his gavel.

"Order! Order! OOORDER! Mr. Wright?! What are you suggesting?!"

Seth shook his head shamefully.

"Ok, Wright, if she didn't see the victim, what are you suggesting then?"

Phoenix still had that prideful look.

"Why, Mr. Powers, I'm surprised you haven't heard, Ms. Von Karma here WAS in the vicinity of the alley, but she was at the PRECINCT reading files on you!"

The courtroom went buzzing again. Seth was taken aback again.

"She was?"

Phoenix shook his head.

"Of course! Which would explain why she didn't know that it was foggy out! Ms. Von Karma! When were you at the precinct?"

"I had to be there early, so it was naturally at 6 AM. What time was the fog there?"

"Before I get to that… How long were you at the precinct?"

"For about two hours!"

Phoenix nodded.

"See?"

Seth chuckled.

"See a foolish fool? Yeah, he's defending a guilty client!"

Phoenix shook his head.

"The fog had rolled in around 6: 30 AM, and settled down around 7: 55 AM. Now, I think this establishes Ms. Von Karma an alibi, no?"

Seth backed up to the wall.

"GAK! T-that… NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The courtroom was buzzing.

"Next step, establishing the true murderer, I checked for finger prints on this mask. And you know whose finger prints are on them for some reason or another? Yours Mr. Powers!"

The judge used his gavel as the courtroom was about to enter an uproar.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOORDER! Mr. Wright, are you accusing the Prosecutor AGAIN?!"

The courtroom was still buzzing. Phoenix nodded. Seth, who had seemed to recover, was smirking at Phoenix.

"Well, it looks like you need an encore, Mr. Wright! You have successfully proved your client's innocence, however… Your accusation of me being the true murder is still questionable!"

The judge nodded.

"True, a simple mask with finger prints on them doesn't prove anything, really…"

Phoenix shook his head.

"However… I did prove Mr. Powers was there at the time…"

Seth smirked.

"Oh, is that Wright? HAHAHA! Listen, Wright, I could've dropped that mask when I was passing through-"

Phoenix shook his head.

"Oh? Really? Why would you go to a dead end?"

Seth's eyes widened.

"What?"

Phoenix nodded.

"That's right; I did my research, that alley's a dead end. Nothing's back there anymore. So therefore it proves you were there that morning!"

Seth shook his head.

"So? Maybe I did go to that alley… On the day in question… But it was for investigation-"

Phoenix shook his head.

"No, you went there long before that… Because it was under Diego Armando's body!"

The courtroom buzzed again. Seth clapped his hands.

"Bravo, Wright… However… Perhaps I went there to speak with Diego before he was assaulted?"

Phoenix shook his head.

"No, that won't work; Diego was yanked into an alley, and seemingly whipped right away…"

Seth shuddered.

"B-but I d-did speak with- oops…"

The judge shook his head.

"What was that, Prosecutor?"

Phoenix encouraged Seth.

"Speak up a little louder so we can hear your confession!"

Then…

"HOLD IT!"

Everyone looked at who shouted it, they saw Diego at the door.

"He's right… I-I did speak with Seth… Moments before I was whipped…"

The judge was shocked and looked at Diego.

"Mr. Armando! What did you two speak about?"

"… It has nothing to do with this case… However, I mentioned one thing… and that's why I got assaulted…"

Seth was right up against the wall.

"D-Diego…"

Diego looked at Seth, he took a deep sigh.

"Everyone… The man before you… his title… is a fraud…"

The courtroom buzzed.

"In fact, I realized it when Phoenix had come to me at the hospital…"

_"… So, who's the Prosecutor for tomorrow?"_

_"Why are you concerned about that? It's a new Prosecutor named Seth Powers."_

_"…! Oh, really? Well, good luck then… Now, could you leave? I'm getting tired…"_

"When I realized YOU were leading the Prosecution, I had a sinking feeling you did it for a personal reason… True, you had assaulted me, true, Ms. Von Karma and you are acquainted, however… It was because of the defense attorney, wasn't it, Grey?"

The courtroom was buzzing. Phoenix looked at Seth amazingly.

"No way… DAD?!"

Diego chuckled and looked downwards.

"It's true, your daddy and Seth Powers are one in the same person… He was my mentor; he told me his real name… Grey… I'm sorry…"

Seth took off his mask, and threw it to Armando.

"Catch! Diego… Everyone… I am as he says, I'm Grey… Grey Wright…" The courtroom went buzzing again about the recent news.

"I… I have my reasons for having a secondary identity… Reasons that I… I just can't say in front of Phoenix!" Grey's eyes began to fill with water. "Son, one day… one day you'll understand… I have a word of encouragement that I'm sure Diego has told you before, but… The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over…"

The judge just sat there, taking in the confession. Then, fully recovered…

"I am ready to pass down a verdict for Ms. Von Karma!"

Grey stopped the judge.

"Wait! I- I did do it… I had assaulted Mr. Armando… He threatened to reveal my identity to Phoenix… I- I just didn't want Phoenix to know his father lived! I stole the defendant's whip… The one thing I didn't count on was… Diego fighting back and surviving the whipping I gave him… Now you may pass your verdict…"

The judge nodded.

"Very well… The court finds Franziska Von Karma… NOT GUILTY!"

The court was ecstatic.

"Court is adjourned!"

**Defendant Lobby No. 3**

**1: 35 PM December 14**

Phoenix looked at Diego and Franziska shockingly.

"So then… you two knew…"

Franziska smirked.

"I have to say, Phoenix, your father is about the only man that I have been smitten with. He was a good man. I didn't want to tell you what I had found, I thought…"

Diego cut in.

"We thought that the truth might hurt too badly for you… When I heard you say that he was prosecuting today… That's why I didn't want to give you information on him… You had to learn what your father was truly like eventually… Your father… barely had anyone when he had joined Grossberg's Law Offices, he had joined just a year before me… At the time he only had Mr. Grossberg himself. A year later, he had me, his student…"

Franziska joined in too.

"And about two days before Diego's first trial, he had met me… It was love at first site for me… But when he had found out that I was a Von Karma, he personally severed all links with me because he considered the Von Karma moral to be wrong… He was the only man for me…"

Then Dick came in.

"HEY, PAL! I knew your old man, too! I was only a man who was unemployed. He took me in… His disappearance hurt me too pal…"

"But then… Why didn't you recognize my last name?"

Dick and Franziska looked down sorrowfully. Dick and Franziska spoke simultaneously.

"We tried to forget…"

Diego grinned.

"But hey, at least you're not alone! Besides, I bet your old man would be proud of you!"

The door opened and in walked Grey.

"Phoenix… This may be the last we see each other for awhile… But at least you know I'm alive, right?"

Phoenix nodded.

"Y-yeah… Dad… what happened 10 years ago…?"

Grey nuzzled Phoenix's hair.

"What's done is done, Phoenix, what's done is done…"

Five minutes later, Grey was arrested…

Following Grey's arrest, Phoenix turned in his badge for good...

**Go ahead and review… I think I already know what type of reviews I'll receive with this… Not enough description… Review… If I'm encouraged with reviews… I'll do a sequel…**


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